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Mercedes-Benz OM603.960 specs: 3.0L (183 ci) 6-cylinder, 87 x 84 mm (3.4252 x 3.3071 in) bore and stroke, 22:1 compression. Built 1987.
The Mercedes-Benz OM603.960 is close to square: 3.4252" bore against 3.3071" stroke, within 3.6%, which splits the difference between a high-revving layout and a torque layout. The 3.3071" stroke does not reach 4,000 ft/min of mean piston speed until about 7,250 RPM, so piston speed is not what limits this engine's revs — valvetrain and breathing are. Each of the 6 cylinders displaces 30.5 ci (500 cc).
At 22:1 this is a compression-ignition engine: the ratio is the heat source that lights the fuel, not a knock limit to be managed.
It is one of 17 engines in the Mercedes-Benz 183ci family, all of them 183 ci — the differences between them are in compression, heads and rating, not displacement.
| Displacement | 183 ci / 3 L |
|---|---|
| Bore | 3.4252" |
| Stroke | 3.3071" |
| Cylinders | 6 |
| Configuration | I6 |
| Compression ratio | 22:1 |
| Bore/stroke ratio | 1.036 |
| Fuel type | diesel |
|---|---|
| Years | 1987 |
| Bore/stroke character | 1.036 — square — bore and stroke are within 5%, a balanced compromise |
|---|---|
| Mean piston speed at 6,000 RPM | 3,307 ft/min — conservative for a street engine |
| Displacement per cylinder | 30.5 ci |
| Static compression | 22:1 — high enough that pump premium or better is normally required |
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1 factory vehicle, 1987. Each year opens that model's engine table.